Swachhta Pakhwada being observed by the Ministry of Textiles throughout the country

The
Ministry of Textiles is observing Swachhta Pakhwada from May 1 – 15, 2017. The
fortnight-long observance of programmes to spread the message of cleanliness
and make it a part of our lives, was inaugurated by the Minister of State,
Textiles, Shri Ajay Tamta, in Udyog Bhawan, New Delhi, today.

The
Minister administered the Swachhta Pledge to the officers and staff of the
Ministry. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that the mission of
Swachh Bharat will become a reality if every one of India’s 125 crore citizens
makes up one’s mind to neither litter nor let others litter. Having watched the Swachh Bharat song, the Minister said that playing the song to children in the
morning would instill in them the importance and divinity of cleanliness. Shri
Tamta said that Swachhta should be looked upon as everyone’s responsibility,
not just that of the workers involved in cleaning.

Textiles
Secretary, Smt. Rashmi Verma told everyone to not let Swachhta Pakhwada be an
act of tokenism, but a programme that is done from the heart. She exhorted all
officials and staff of the Ministry, to take some initiatives in their sphere
of work, home and community, to bring about some perceptible and tangible change
in cleanliness. Smt. Verma reminded everyone that there are small steps
everyone can do in order to spread the message of Swachhta and to make India Swachh
Bharat, a clean nation. She said that everyone’s participation is required in
order to realize the goal of Swachh Bharat.

The list of
activities that would be undertaken by the Ministry of Textiles during the
Swachhta Pakhwada includes the following:

Visit of Minister of State, Textiles to Powerloom Service
Centres in Delhi/Haryana/Uttarakhand

Visit of Minister of State, Textiles to Silk Cluster in Haridwar
for a special Swachhta drive

Seminar on the theme “Waste to Wealth” to be organized

Films on “Waste to Wealth” to be made by NIFT, and to be shown by
all organizations

NIFT students to be promoted as volunteers to lead youth teams
for Swachhta activities in all Weavers’ Service Centres

Awareness and motivation programmes to be conducted for
employees

Debate competition on Swachhta Abhiyan to be held, for employees
at various levels

Honouring prize winners in the competitions, by senior officers
of the Ministry

Personal hygiene campaign to be conducted at all jute mills,
co-opting CGHS doctors, on all days of the Pakhwada

Special drive on Swachhta to be done in a NTC Mill Chawl area,
and in a jute mill in Kolkata (cleaning of workers’ colonies to be undertaken)

Undertaking cleaning of Office premises, toilets & wash
rooms

Provision for supply of clean drinking water through water dispensers,
to all sections

Providing dustbins in all sections

Dusting and cleaning of office equipment

Cleaning of common passages and open areas in Udyog Bhavan

Co-ordination with CPWD and DIPP to ensure that renovation work such
as replacement of tiles, false ceiling works, installation of LED lights are
completed timely